Upholstered spring assembly



Filed March 29, 1960 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent ()flfice 3,ii55,ii2l Patented Sept. 25, 1962 3,055,021 UPHOLSTERED SPRING ASSEMBLY Murray J. Rymland, Fairmount Ave. and Bethe] St., Baltimore, Md. Filed Mar. 29, 1960, Ser. No. 18,348 2 Claims. (Cl. 5-351) The present invention relates to innerspring mattresses, cushions, or the like, and more particularly to innerspring mattresses, cushions or the like having a smooth top and no tuftings.

conventionally, mattresses, cushions and the like are provided with tufts or other similar devices for the purpose of holding in place the filling material within the unit and for preventing shifting of this filling material during use. Heretofore, as far as is known, there has not been provided any satisfactory and commercially acceptable means for holding the filling material in place without using tufting, or the like. There are a number of disadvantages inherent in a tufted-type mattress, cushion, or the like. For example, when the surface of the unit is encumbered by tufts or other holding devices, the comfort is impaired, since a smooth surface is not possible. Furthermore, the presence of tufts is not considered attractive.

It is therefore a primary object of the invention to provide a novel innerspring mattress, cushion or the like having smooth top and bottom surfaces wherein the necessity for tufts or other similar holding devices is eliminated, and yet the filling material is effectively held in proper position.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel innerspring mattress, cushion or the like having smooth top and bottom surfaces wherein the spring structure itself is utilized to firmly hold the filling material against shifting during use.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a mattress, cushion or the like having smooth top and bottom surfaces and comprising an innerspring structure surrounded by filling material and covered with ticking panels, wherein the ticking panels will remain tight and the distribution of the filling material uniform, even though during use the ticking panels may have a tendency to stretch, and the filling material a tendency to lose some of its loft.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an innerspring mattress, cushion or the like of simple and economical construction wherein there is provided a unique coaction between the innerspring structure and the ticking panels, and serving to eliminate the necessity for tufting or the like.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from consideration of the present specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which there is shown a single embodiment of the invention by way of example and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an upholstered innerspring unit embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary and enlarged sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary and enlarged sectional view taken along line 33 of FIGURE 1.

The upholstered innerspring unit herein described and illustrated as an exemplary embodiment of the invention comprises an innerspring assembly of helical, coil springs, a fiber pad disposed on the top and bottom thereof, with filling material covering these pads. Surrounding the fiber pads and filling material are ticking panels having secured thereto peripheral flanges which are adapted to be pulled tightly around the top and bottom peripheries of the mattress and engaged to intermediate convolutions of the peripheral springs, in such a way that the spring assembly is arched =or bowed to press the filling material firmly against the ticking panels. The present invention is particularly suitable for use with innerspring assemblies of a construction which provides some measure of lateral strength whereby bowing or arching will be permitted when the ticking panel is pulled taut, as for example, those spring assemblies disclosed in copending applications Serial Nos. 596,590, filed July 9, 1956, now Patent No. 2,993,215, issued July 25, 1961 and 604,381 filed August 16, 1956, now Patent No. 2,942,278, issued June 28, 1960, and in Patent No. 2,857,603, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown in FIG- URE 1 a perspective view of the outside of an upholstered innerspring unit embodying the invention. The unit, designated generally at 10, is built around an innerspring assembly which comprises coil springs 12 disposed in rows 14 and files 16, as is conventional. The upper and lower end convolutions of each adjacent pair of springs 12 in each row 14 are shown as being secured together by means of stake or tie wires 18 and clips 19, for example, in the manner disclosed in the patent and applications referred to.

Thus, there is disposed between adjacent files of springs a stake or tie wire 18 extending transversely substantially the full width of the mattress lit. The particular construction of the springs and the means for interconnecting them in rows and files is not a part of the invention; however, as previously stated, the present invention is particularly applicable to innerspring construction such as those disclosed in the patent and copending applications mentioned above.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention, there are disposed on the top and bottom surfaces of the innerspring unit, fiber pads 2i} and 22, respectively. The fiber pads 26 and 22 are shown as being of substantially the same length and Width as the mattress ill, but of a slightly greater size so that a small peripheral portion thereof may be folded over the end convolutions, as shown. Suitable means may be provided for securing the pads 21), 22 to the springs. For example, wire rings or staples 23 may be fastened to the ends of the fiber pads 20, 22 and to the end convolutions of peripheral springs at spaced intervals along the periphery or border of the spring assembly, as shown.

A suitable filling 26 is provided on the outside faces of fiber pads 20 and 22, and this filling may be any suitable material, such as cotton. The fill material 26 is shown as being provided in the form of a blanket or heavy felt of substantially the same size and shape as the fiber pads 20 and 22, and arranged coextensively therewith.

Covering the fill material 26 on the top of the unit 10 is an upper ticking panel 28, which is of a length and width substantially the same as the unit 10. Sewn about the periphery of the upper ticking panel 28, as at 30, is an upper flange 32 made of any appropriate material, such as muslin. In order to secure and retain the upper ticking panel 28 and associated fill material 26 in place, means are provided to bow or arch the spring assembly by compressing the peripheral springs 12 thereof. As shown, this is accomplished by securing the flange 32 to intermediate convolutions of the peripheral springs, as by rings 34, so that the ticking panel 28 and flange 32 are pulled tightly or taut, and held in this position.

The upper flange 32 preferably is secured to an intermediate convolution of each spring disposed about the periphery of the innerspring unit. It is essential that the flange be attached to an intermediate convolution, rather than the first or end convolution of each spring in order that the ticking panel and flange will be under sufficient tension to effect the arched or bowed construction. Thus, as can be seen in FIGURE 2, the outer or peripheral springs are more compressed than the inwardly disposed springs, and the stake Wires are arched throughout their entire length to push, and thereby hold, the fiber pad 20 and fill material 26 against upper ticking panel 28.

On the bottom of the mattress, covering the fill material 26, is a lower ticking panel 36. This lower ticking panel 36 is shown as being the same in size, shape and function, as upper ticking panel 28, and a flange 38 is secured thereto about the periphery thereof. The lower flange 38 is shown as being secured to intermediate convolutions of the peripheral springs in the same manner as the upper flange 32, for example, by means of rings it or any other suitable fasteners.

Due to the arching or bowing of the stake or tie wires 18 caused by the engagement of the flanges 32, 38 to the spring intermediate convolutions, as described, the filling material 26 will be firmly pressed between the spring assembly and the ticking panels insuring proper disposition of the filling material at all times during use.

It might be noted that in the exemplary embodiment under consideration, the arching or bowing of the stake or tie wires 18 will effect an actual compression of the filling material 26 between the taut ticking panels 28, 36 and the arched stake wires 18. Filling material 26 may, for example, be approximately one inch thick when initially placed on the spring assembly, and before the flanges 32, 38 and ticking panels 28, 36 are pulled taut or tensioned and the flanges 32, 38 fastened to intermediate convolutions of the springs in the border rows 14. After these flanges have been fastened to intermediate convolutions, such as shown, the tie wires 18 will be arched or bowed outwardly to efiect an actual compressing or reduction in thickness of the filling material 26.

Thus, as will be appreciated, the stake wires 18 will be placed under compressive stress and will be arched outwardly by the action of pulling the ticking panel taut and simultaneously downward to fasten the flange to intermediate coils, thereby providing the necessary pressure between the springs and the ticking panels to hold the filling material 26 firmly and securely in place.

A side ticking panel 42 may be provided around the unit 10, being sewn at its upper edge, as at 44, to the outer periphery of upper ticking panel 28, and at its lower edge, as at 46, to the outer periphery of lower ticking panel 36. The seams formed at 44 and 46 are shown covered with beading or binding 48.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the arching of the innerspring unit in the transverse direction is provided by the stake wires 18. In the longitudinal direction, as shown in FIG- URE 3, some arching is provided adjacent the border files by the compression of the springs 12 in these border files. While both FIGURES 2 and 3 show only a portion of the length and width of the unit 10, it will be understood that any longitudinal or transverse vertical section through the springs in unit will be symmetrical.

The ticking panels 28, 36 and 42 and binding 48 may be formed of any suitable fabric material.

As has been described, the flanges 32 and 38 are attached to intermediate convolutions of the peripheral springs. However, it is not essential that any particular intermediate convolution be used, as long as the attachment of the flanges to the springs compresses the peripheral springs in order that the arched or bowed efiects may be provided.

The inner peripheral portion of the mattress defined between the side panels 42 and the outer periphery of the innerspring unit may be filled with any suitable bulk filling material in order to give a padded effect to the sides of the mattress. Also, the side panels 42 may be reinforced by sewing thereto additional material on the inner faces thereof, if desired.

The present invention will thus be seen to completely and effectively accomplish the objects enumerated hereinabove. It will be realized, however, that various changes and substitutions may be made to the specific embodiments disclosed herein for the purpose of illustrating the principles of this invention, without departing from these principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A smooth top mattress, cushion or the like comprising: a plurality of helical springs normally of equal length and arranged in rows and files; joining means joining said springs into an innerspring unit, said joining means comprising stake wires extending parallel to said files and between adjacent files and extending substantially the full dimension of said smooth top mattress, cushion or the like; covering means covering said innerspring unit; and flange means placing said stake wires under compressive stress and partially compressing the springs disposed about the periphery of said innerspring unit whereby said stake wires are arched so as to push toward said covering means, one edge of said flange means being secured to said covering means adjacent the periphery of said innerspring unit, and the other edge of said flange means being secured under tension to intermediate convolutions of said peripheral springs.

2. The structure claimed in claim 1, further comprising fill material disposed between the upper and lower surfaces of said innerspring unit and said covering means, whereby the arch in said stake wires pushing against said covering means will hold said fill material in place.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 27,667 Geraghty Mar. 27, 1860 181,816 Boyington Sept. 5, 1876 870,297 Knuppen Nov. 5, 1907 FOREIGN PATENTS 452,119 Great Britain Aug. 17, 1936 729,835 Great Britain May 11, 1955 

